Convicted Killers of Malcolm X Exonerated: A Personal Perspective | |
The recent exoneration of 83-year-old Muhammad Aziz, formerly known as Norman 3X Butler and Khalil Islam, then identified as Thomas 15X Johnson for the February 21,1965 assassination of human rights icon Malcolm X is a 55-years long-delayed judicial affirmation of widely held opinions in legal defense and community circles that the pair was innocent of being active participants in the leader’s murder. Both were members of the Nation of Islam and, like many in the organization, wanted to see Malcolm X dead because of their insistence that he had betrayed the trust of Elijah Muhammad. The exoneration came after the Manhattan District Attorney’s office and lawyers for the defendants engaged in a 22-month investigation to review evidence in the case. | |
